The search for a British woman who fell overboard from a cruise ship in the Atlantic was called off after rescuers recovered a body.

The passenger was reported missing on the Aurora as it sailed from the Spanish city of La Coruña to Barcelona on Friday, P&O Cruises said, adding that formal identification of a woman's body was not expected to take place until early next week.

The ship's crew had ordered an immediate search after the passenger was reported missing. Another cruise ship, Thomson Spirit, which was en route to Cadíz, was reported to have joined in the search.

It is understood that passengers were informed of the discovery of the body through an announcement from the ship's captain, Ian Hutley.

Authorities and P&O Cruises' care team are providing assistance for the missing woman's family, the cruise operator said.

The Aurora left Southampton for a 14-night western Mediterranean cruise on Wednesday. P&O Cruises confirmed all passengers on board were British.

Pat Rodgers, who is on the Aurora with her husband, Joseph, said the woman was believed to be in her 70s and on holiday with her daughter.

Mrs Rodgers, 70, from Sheffield, said the water had been "very choppy" and fellow passengers were "sad and subdued". She added that planes and helicopters circled overhead to assist lifeboats in the search.

Rodgers said on Sunday: "The captain made an announcement over the loudspeaker at 8.10am this morning and asked everyone to help keep a lookout. We heard that the woman is 72 and was on holiday with her daughter but we don't know how she fell in."